Clod-crusher.



PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

c. J. DAVIS. GLOD GRUSHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18. 1906..

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UNITED STATES ATE T FFTCE.

CLOD-CRUSHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed April 18, 1906. Serial No. 312,337.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAR-LES J. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clod-Crushers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to clod-crushers, and has for its object the production of a machine for separating relatively larger pieces of plowed earth from the finer remainder and after crushing such clods permitting the particles to fall from the machine as it is drawn along.

I accomplish the desired object by means of a series of teeth or fingers that advance through the plowed ground and take up the larger pieces, which are then crushed by a roller acting above and upon the series of fingers, as more particularly explained hereinbelow.

The preferred form of my invention is set out in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 represents a side view, certain parts being omitted and others cut away to illustrate details. Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the shorter fingers. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of all the parts assembled. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of all parts assembled.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout.

My invention is usually provided with a suitable seat A for the driver, erected upon a convenient portion of a platform-frame B. The frame is in part supported by the bearings C, secured beneath the side bars of the frame, one of the bearings being-shown in Fig. 1, and the other upon the opposite side being exactly like it in form and situation. Bearings C are upheld by the shaft D, passing through them and through the roller E, to which the shaft belongs. The shaft also passes through the slides F, that are movably located in the recesses G at the tops of standards H. In Fig. 1 the slide F is shown at the bottom of the recess.

At the lower ends of standards H, which are normally pressed beneath the surface of the plowed ground by the combined weights of roller and rider, the extremities of the cross-bar J are inserted and secured, and the bar J is correspondingly let into the lower edges of fingers K flush, as shown in Fig. 2. The series of fingers are thus held rigid with respect to each other and move as and constitute a grid, upon which the relatively larger pieces of earth are taken as the machine proceeds. Certain of the fingers K have rearwardly-extended portions Zr, and it will be understood that when the forward points of the fingers are forced into the plowed ground the entire grid will take up an inclined position and the rearward extensions 1c of the fingers will rise until stopped by the transverse rod L, which is also shown in Fig. 3. The dip of the fingers into the loosened earth is thus limited. A further office of rod L is to constitute the axis of the small roller M, shown upon the rod between the uprights N,'and the province of rollerM is to support the rear of the frame B and the drivers seat at a given height above the ground at all times.

The letter Q refers to a transverse rod that is secured through all the longer fingers and engages the inner ends of the shorter fingers to aid bar J in holding the fingers rigidly together and to relieve that bar of some portion of the strain otherwise thrown upon it.

While the engagement of the standards H through slide F, roller-shaft D, and bearings C with the frame B would advance the fingers through the ground if the frame were drawn along, it is advantageous and desirable to provide the chains P, attached to the fingers upon each side, by which a direct forward pull is applied to them. At this point it may be stated that ordinarily as the fingers take up the pieces of earth those pieces in front push those in rear beneath the roller E, which is sufficiently operated in that way to effect the purpose of the invention and crush the clods, that, being crushed, fall through the spaces between the fingers; but to insure the positive and continuous rotation of the roller I provide each end of the shaft D with a spoke-wheel R, the ends of the spokes engaging the ground beneath them and positively rotating the roller as the machine is drawn along.

In Figs. 1, 3, and 4 it is shown that the roller E is provided with a series of lugs or fins e and that their positions lie in spiral lines upon the roller. The office of the lugs e is to out apart anyrelatively hard lumps met with, and, further, by engaging the ground they aid the paddle-spoke Wheels R and insure the rotation of the roller E. Near the roller and arranged in front of it is shown the cross-bar S, having teeth 8 projecting toward the roller. The lugs e pass between teeth 8 and are cleaned thereby of clinging earth, and, in

stacle passes.

fact, as teeth 8 approach very near roller E they keep the roller free from lumps otherwise clinging to its surface.

The pivotal connection between frame B and the grid of fingers K is the shaft D, and should the fingers take up a stone or other body that could not be crushed the roller and its shaft will rise, carrying with them slide F and the frame B, and the whole will again settle down upon the fingers after the ob- Thus the fingers and frame may be separably as well as pivotally moved with respect to each other.

Having now described my invention and explained the manner of its operation, what I claim is 1. In a clod-crusher, the combination with a frame, of a series of fingers pivotally connected with the frame and arranged below .the frame, a roller, and devices connected with the roller by which it is guided in an upand-down movement and held'against lateral displacement, the said roller resting normally upon the fingers, whereby clods taken up by the fingers are crushed by the roller upon the fingers.

2. In a clod-crusher, the combination with a frame, of a roller having a shaft, bearings engaging the said shaft and secured to the frame, a series of fingers pivotally and separably connected with the frame and arranged below the frame, the said roller resting normally upon the fingers, devices constructed and arranged to guide the roller in an up-anddown movement and to hold it against lateral displacement, the said fingers adapted to take up the clods whereby they may be crushed by the roller upon the fingers.

3. In a clod-crusher, the combination with a frame, of a series of fingers pivotally connected with the frame and arranged. below the frame, a roller, devices connected with the roller by which it is guided in an up-anddown movement and held against lateral displacement, and means adapted to revolve the roller, the said roller resting normally upon the fingers, whereby clods taken up by the fingers are crushed by the roller upon the fingers.

4. In a clod-crusher, the combination with a frame, of a series of fingers pivotally connected with the frame and arranged below the frame, a roller, devices connected with the roller by which it is guided in an up-anddown movement and held against lateral displacement, and means actuated by drawing the frame along and adapted to revolve the roller, the said roller resting normally upon the fingers whereby clods taken up by the fingers are crushed by the roller upon the fingers. I

5. In a clod-crusher, the combination with a frame, of a series of fingers pivotally connected with the frame and arranged below the frame, means adapted to limit the inclination of said series of fingers with respect to the frame, a roller, and devices connected with the roller by which it is guided in an up-and-down movement and held against lateral displacement, the said roller resting normally upon the fingers, whereby clods taken up by the fingers are crushed by the roller upon the fingers.

6. In a clodcrusher, the combination with a frame, of a series of fingers pivotally connected with the frame and arranged below the frame, devices including a relatively small roller arranged to move in contact with the ground for supporting the frame in a level position, means adapted to limlt the inclination of said series of fingers with respect to the frame, a relatively large roller, and devices connected with the roller by which it is guided in an upanddown movement and held against lateral displacement, the said roller resting normally upon the fingers, whereby clods taken up by the fingers are crushed by the roller upon the fingers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. DAVIS. Witnesses:

SAMUEL H. DAVIS, EDWARD A. YOUNG. 

